


Locked Out

by fadetoblue



Series: Locked Out [1]
Category: Carmilla (Web Series)
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe - Supernatural Elements, Brash Carmilla, Embarrassed Laura, F/F, First Kiss, Flirting, Fluff, Hollstein-Freeform, Maybe Carmilla's A Softy After All, Topless Laura
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-07-29
Updated: 2015-10-14
Packaged: 2018-04-11 21:04:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 12,055
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4452302
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fadetoblue/pseuds/fadetoblue
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Laura's been locked out of her apartment, wearing nothing more than her bra and some really short shorts. </p><p>What happens when she knocks on Carmilla's door for help?</p><p>Maybe they'll both get what they've wanted all along. </p><p>(Okay, yeah, I still such at descriptions. Check it out. You never know you might just like it.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. She Took My Hand And It Changed Everything

**Author's Note:**

> Okay this is just something I came up with while procrastinating on editing my other fic. 
> 
> Sorry if it sucks. If you like let me know. Maybe I'll come back to it in the future.

I knocked on my new neighbors door, hoping she would open it really friggin’ quickly, because yeah, this is kind of embarrassing, but I’m standing in the hall way of our apartment complex in nothing more than a bra and shorts, very short ones for that matter. There’s a story behind that I promise, but now’s really not the time to get into it. I just need to get out of the hall before someone sees me. It was bad enough that Carmilla was going to see me like this. 

Well if she ever opened the darn door. I know she’s home, we rode up in the elevator together less than an hour ago. And she said she had no plans for the night, well, it was more like, “why don’t you come over, Cutie. I’m sure I can keep you _entertained_ better than your computer can.” She had bit her lip wantonly, her dark brown eyes roving over my body with unabashed lust. “Think about, Cupcake,” she said tossing me a seductive wink, before she opened her door and disappeared inside her apartment. 

The memory of the lascivious smirk she had on her face when she said it was enough to make me flush with heat all over again. Now, I’m bright red and half-naked in the middle of the hall, great, just friggin’ great, because that’s not why I’m standing outside her door waiting for her to open it. I knocked again louder this time. If she didn’t open the door I don’t know what I’m going to do. There’s no way I can go down to the lobby like this. 

“Who the hell is it?” I heard her angry grumble come from the other side of the door, and swallowed hard.

“Um--It’s me, Laura.” I said nervously.

“So you decided to take me up on my offer after all,” Carmilla said with amusement, as she opened the door. But once she actually saw me, her mouth fell open in surprise and she let out a breath. She recovered quickly though. 

“Well, Cupcake,” she said staring at my chest for a moment before looking me in the eye, “I didn’t think you’d be this eager too...”

“No, Carmilla, it’s not like that.” I said, fitting off another blush, and failing miserably. “I locked myself out of my apartment.”

All I got in response was an arched eyebrow, as her gaze strayed to my chest again. 

“Can I come in, please.”

“Huh,” she murmured her tongue darting out to lick her lips, as her gaze met mine again. 

“Can I come in,” I repeated shifting from one foot to another, the way she was looking at me was making me more nervous than standing out in the hall with next to nothing on. “I just need to call the building manager, so he can bring the master key and unlock my door.”

“Right,” Carmilla said, stepping back to let me in. 

I could feel her eyes on me, well on my ass, as she followed me into the apartment. 

“The phone’s over there,” she motioned at the table by the couch where her cell phone was sitting. 

“Thanks.” 

I walked over and picked it up, dialing the managers number, which yes, I happen to know by heart. Not because I call him all the time to bail me out, or anything, my dad insisted I memorize it when he helped me move in to my apartment a few months ago. I’ve only called him once or twice, okay maybe it’s more than that, but whatever. The phone rang and rang, then went into his voice mail. 

“Um--hi, Carl this is Laura, in 306. I locked myself out, again, yes I know. So when you stop laughing at me can you come up and let me in, please. Just knock on the door to 307 when you get here.” I hung up the phone with a sigh, “darn voice mail.” I muttered under my breath.

“So,” Carmilla said from behind me as I put her phone back on the table, “this happens to you a lot the?”

“No, I’m not that clumsy. It wasn’t even my fault, it never is.” I replied turning to face her, momentarily forgetting that I was topless, at least until I caught her staring at my chest again. 

And it hit me that I barely knew her and I was standing in the middle of her living room half-naked, while she looked at me like I was the best thing on a dessert menu. Blushing profusely, I crossed my arms to block her view, because the sports bra I had on did little to hide the swell of my breast. I was so beyond embarrassed. I don’t let just anyone see me with no clothes on. 

Carmilla cleared her throat. “Can I get you a shirt to put on, or something, Cupcake,” she said seeing my obvious discomfort. 

“Please.” She nodded silently and left me standing in her living room.

Carmilla isn’t even my type, well she is, _physically_ , but she’s too darn forward for me. From the moment we met in the front of the building, the day I moved in, she’s been hitting on me, which would be perfectly fine, if everything that came out of her mouth wasn’t laced with some kind of sexual innuendo. I don’t fall for girls that treat me like an object, or a play thing to be toyed with for their amusement, at least not usually, but there’s something about her that I can’t seem to shake. 

Maybe it’s that she’s actually kind of nice and sweet and really funny, well in a broody sarcastic sort of way, when she’s not trying to get in my pants. That just doesn’t happen very often. Every conversation that I’ve ever had with her, started out innocent and random, but as soon as she lets something personal slip, she goes right back to hitting on me. It’s like she’s afraid to let me see who she really is, which really sucks, because I think she might be pretty amazing, if she stopped trying to act so cool and disaffected. 

I might even be able to like _like_ her, instead of just having the worst crush ever. 

“Here you go, Cutie.” Carmilla said drawing me out of my thoughts as she handed me a t-shirt with phases of the moon across the front of it, and she was actually trying really hard not to look at me, which I really appreciated, because she’s been leering at me ever since she opened the door.

“Thanks,” I said as I slipped it over my head, immediately feeling better, though I did catch her looking at my chest again, out of the corner of her eye, as I pulled the shirt down over my body. But there was something different in her eyes, she actually seems kind of--nervous. Maybe. But I’m probably wrong about that. Carmilla’s always so confident and sure of herself. Why would I make her nervous? 

“So, um--this is probably going to take a while, huh, Cupcake.”

“Yeah, probably, it always takes him forever when I have to leave a message.”

It occurred to me that maybe she had something to do, and she really was messing around when we got off the elevator. I didn’t want her to feel obligated to let me stay, if she didn’t want to. 

“I can go, if your busy. I’ll bring your shirt back tomorrow after I wash it.” I said already heading for the door. “I can just sit in the hall and wait for Carl. It’s no big deal. I do it all the time when this happens.” 

“No, Laura, wait!” 

I turned back to her in shock. Because this is the first time I’ve ever heard her say my name. She’s always called me by dessert related nicknames. I just kind of figured she didn’t remember it, or at the least thought it was funny to use sweets as pet names, after I told her about my obsession with anything chocolate. So far in addition to Cupcake, which is apparently her favorite, there’s been Cream Pie, Twinkie, Cookie, and a few others that she doesn’t use very often, so I can’t remember them. 

“You don’t have to go.” She wiped her hands on the legs of her tight black jeans with tears across the knee before sticking them in her pockets. “I mean, I want you stay.” 

“Are you sure,” I asked uncertainly, “because a minute ago, it kind of seemed like I was imposing.”

“You’re not.” Carmilla replied, looking everywhere but at me. 

And, yeah, it didn’t really instill the feeling that she actually wanted me to be here. I don’t need pity from her, or anyone else for that matter. I’ve already had enough of that to last me a lifetime. But that was another story altogether. One I wasn’t going to think about, right now, it has nothing to do with this. All that mattered at the moment was that I can take care of myself. And I sure as hell wasn’t going to stay somewhere I wasn’t wanted. 

“Yeah, I think I’m just going to go now, Carmilla” I said flatly, “but thanks again. I really appreciate you helping me out. I’ll get your shirt back to you tomorrow.”

I turned back toward the door to leave, but barely got a couple steps before she reached out and grasped my hand to stop me. 

“Seriously,” she said in response to the confused look I gave her, as she stepped in front of me to block my path. “I don’t want you to go, Cupcake,” she bit her lip and just looked at me for a moment, “it’s just, I--um, I’m not very good at the whole feelings thing, but--uh we can just hang out. And you can tell me how you got locked out of your apartment, okay.” Carmilla said hopefully. 

She’s never stuttered in front of me before. Maybe I do make her nervous. 

“Yeah, I think I would like that very much.” I said instantly, because despite what I was thinking a moment ago, I really didn’t want to leave. Like I said, there’s something about her, and I just can’t shake it. Believe me I’ve tried. But every time I see her, my crush just seems to grow. 

“Really,” Carmilla asked, genuinely surprised. 

“Really,” I replied. 

She smiled at me, not a smirk, or the half-hearted grin that barely curled at the corner of her mouth, that I’m used to, but a real smile. 

“Okay.” She said, some of her confidence returning. 

But there was none of the underlying arrogance that always got on my nerves. This was the side of Carmilla that I liked, when she wasn’t trying to act all badass and cool, when she was just being herself, a girl who was actually just as much of a nerd as I am, believe it or not. 

“So, um, do you want something to eat or drink,” She asked, “or do you just want to...” she motioned toward the couch when the words wouldn’t come out. 

And I felt a tremor run through her hand that was still grasping mine. 

“Something to drink would be nice.”

She nodded, and glanced back at her fridge, “I probably don’t have much. I’m not exactly a fan of grocery shopping,” she admitted sheepishly when she looked back at me. 

I was about to tell her it was fine, I could just drink water from the tap, which is something I never do, because yeah, my diet mostly consist of sugary goodness, which includes beverages too. The last time I willingly drank water was when I ran track in high school, and that was only because I was about to pass out from dehydration. 

“I tell you what, Cupcake,” she said squeezing my hand, drawing me out of my internal musing, “you go to take a seat and I’ll see what I’ve got.”

“Okay,” I nodded and turned to head over to the couch, the hand clasping mine didn’t relinquish its grip, so much as our fingers slowly slipped apart with the distance. 

“I hope this okay,” Carmilla said when she joined me a few moments later with a can of soda in each hand.

“It’s perfect,” I said with a grin, “how did you know grape soda was my favorite?”

“Lucky guess,” she said. 

Carmilla regarded me with an amused smirk, when I popped the top on the can and took a huge sip, with a satisfied, “aww.” 

“I see you’re an easy girl to please.” She drawled.

A few minutes ago that statement might have bothered me, because there was definitely the hint of a sexual undertone to it, but it wasn’t like the comments she made before, or any other time in the past, more than anything it was playful and teasing. And yeah, I could work with that, because Carmilla was really _really_ cute when she smiled at me, like she’s doing right now, with a twinkle in her eye and a goofy grin on her face. 

“Hardly,” I replied, with a nonchalant shrug and took another drink of soda, not letting the pleasurable sigh slip out this time. 

“So, Cutie,” she turned to face me propping her leg up on the cushion between us, “are you going to tell me, how exactly you got locked out of your apartment in nothing but your bra and those really sexy shorts,” she asked, smirking when I rolled my eyes at her. 

“Like I told you, it wasn’t my fault...”

“Yeah, Cupcake, that’s what I don’t get.” She cut in, her eyes twinkling at me as she spoke.

“Mr. Bonkers locked me out in a manner of speaking that is...”

“Who is--Mr. Bonkers?” Carmilla asked in confusion. 

“I’ll tell you,” I said, taking another sip of soda for dramatic pause, “if you’ll stop interrupting me.” 

She nodded for me to continue. 

“Mr. Bonkers is my cat.”

“The one with short black fur, that I always see roaming around the building,” Carmilla asked, because she couldn’t resist. 

I nodded in response and kept telling the story. “...And most of the time he’s a sweetheart, well at least when he’s sleeping. He has a propensity for mischief. Usually it’s just like shredding the curtains, destroying my favorite shirt, or knocking over the lamp or dishes on the kitchen counter. I always come home to some kind of mess, when he gets left inside while I go out, but I’m used to that, he’s been like that ever since I got him from the shelter. The thing is, he’s the opposite when I leave him outside all day. When I finally let him in he turns into a little thief...” 

“Um, Cupcake, I know I said I wouldn’t interrupt you and I keep doing it, but what does your mischievous cat have to do with you being locked out of your apartment?” Carmilla asked with a baffled look. 

“Well...After I got home, I was feel all stiff and tense, so I decide to do some yoga to work the kinks out. I was in the middle of changing when I heard Mr. B meowing outside the door, so I went to let him in. I wasn’t really thinking about not having a shirt on.” 

Which in retrospect I probably should have been, I thought to myself as I paused to take a breath.

“When I opened the door he darted right past me grabbed my keys off the coffee table and took off out the door before I could close it. So, I chased after him, not expecting the door to close behind me, or for it to be locked from the inside for that matter.” 

Carmilla bit her lip, trying to hide the smile curling at the corner of her mouth from me when I stopped and looked at her. 

“ _Carmilla_ , it’s not funny.” I squealed, crossing my arms over my chest with a pout.

“Come on, Cutie, finish telling the story.” She urged me, her voice laced with mirth. “I want to hear the rest of this.”

I tossed one of the black throw pillows at her. Of course, she caught it easily, arching an eyebrow at me in amusement. 

_“Fine,”_ I grumbled, and told her the rest, “I was about half way down the hall when I heard the door start to shut, but I had Mr. B cornered so I didn’t run back to stop it. Unfortunately the sound distracted me and he got away, jumping out the window at the end of the hall. So I went back to the apartment to call Carl for another set of keys, again. But when I tried to open the door the knob didn’t turn. I even jiggled it around, because it gets stuck sometimes, you know, but no such luck. My mischievous black cat did it to me again. Except this time I was locked out and I didn’t have a shirt on.”

Carmilla burst into laughter as soon as I stopped talking, she was sniggling so hard that she had to clutch her sides, and her eyes teared up. 

“It’s so not funny.” I said dejectedly. 

After several long minutes of gut wrenching laughter, turned to breathless giggles I thought the outburst had finally passed, but as soon as she looked up at me it started all over again at full steam. And when I grumbled about leaving she wrapped her arms around me so I couldn’t go anywhere, all while still laughing heartily. 

“I think I need to thank your cat.” She said with a wink when she finally calmed down. 

It took a moment for her to realize that she had her arms around me and was holding me close. I think we both recognized how intimate we were sitting at the same time. Because, my entire face was suffused with heat, from my blush, that reached all the way up to the tips of my ears, at the same time that she let go of me and cleared her throat with a blush of her own. The two of us settled back into the couch, sitting in silence for a while. Surprisingly it wasn’t awkward. We just kept side-eyeing each other and smiling like idiots when one of us would catch the other gazing. I’ve never felt this comfortable around Carmilla before. And considering how things got started it was a nice change of pace. 

“You want to watch a movie,” she asked softly, when I caught her looking at me again.

I nodded.

Carmilla reached for the remote control on the coffee table to turn on the flat screen television on the other side of the room. “I have Netflix, so our options are pretty much endless.” She said meeting my gaze again. Flashing me a small hesitant smile as she bit her lip then glanced down at the cushion between us and back up at me. 

Trying to act all nonchalant and cool about it, she slowly scooted closer, until she was lightly pressed against my side. At first she was all tense, as she started to fidget with the remote control. It was like she was afraid I might push her away, or something. She shot a glance at me when I didn’t, and visibly relaxed, as she reached out to take my hand, letting out a small airy breath. 

The closeness, the intimacy--holding her hand, it just felt so natural. That I let out a sigh of contentment too. 

...

Of course the only thing she had lined up in her que was horror movies. Somehow, that’s not surprising. 

...

After twenty minutes of scrolling through menus and arguing back and forth, well it wasn’t really arguing, we spent most of the time smiling and laughing, while we insulted each other’s taste in movie. But, yeah, we finally settled on something to watch, more or less. 

Carmilla and I were cuddled even closer than we had been before as the movie started. The sun was starting to set outside the window, but the last thing on my mind was that it was getting late. Or that I still hadn’t heard a word from Carl. It really didn’t seem all that important, as Carmilla slipped her arm around my shoulders and drew me impossibly closer. At this point I was practically sitting in her lap. Another inch or two and I would be. 

...

“Cutie, the movies over,” Carmilla said, nudging me gently with her shoulder, to try and get me to sit up.

I was curled up into Carmilla’s side with my head tucked into her shoulder to hide my face from the gore and violence on the screen, which is pretty much how I’ve been since the darn movie started. How she convinced me to watch Insidious I’ll never know. Because, I hate that kind of stuff, give me a nice fluffy romantic comedy any day. But, no, all it took was a smile and an, “it’s not _that_ bad, Cupcake,” and I gave in. And I completely regret it. Now I’m probably going to have nightmares for weeks, which I’m totally going to make her pay for, because the next movie we watch together is going to be something super sappy and romantic. 

“Unh unh,” I mumbled borrowing my face even deeper into the crook of her neck, “that’s what you said last time. I’m not falling for that again.”

“I swear, Cupcake, I’m not lying this time.” She chuckled softly, her right hand caressing my back, the way it had been since I first got scared and buried my face against her. 

“Carmilla, I _swear_ , if you’re messing around, I’m never talking to you again.” I mumbled as I slowly lifted my head from her shoulder, feeling relieved when I saw the Netflix main menu, before I looked over at her.

“Don’t say that to me, Cutie,” She said softly when I finally met her gaze. 

“You know I didn’t really mean that, right.” I whispered, at the hurt expression in her eyes. 

“Yeah, I know,” She whispered back, “but it still hurts that you said it.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you.” I hugged her tightly, not because I felt bad, well I mean of course I do, that’s a given. But I did it because I didn’t know how else to take it away. And I really wanted to, more than that I wished I could take words back altogether, but I couldn’t.

I don’t know if a hug is enough to fix the damage, but I hope it’s at least a good start, because I don’t want this to end. To be honest I don’t even know what--this is. We went from being casual acquaintances to maybe being friends, or maybe it’s more than that, all in the span of a few hours. But all I know is I don’t want it to go back to the way it was before tonight. 

“ _This_ can be whatever we want it be, Cupcake.” Carmilla murmured in my ear. 

Her arms tightened around me, surprising me almost as much as her words had, since I hadn’t even realized that she was hugging me back. 

I pulled away slightly, just enough to lock eyes with her, “did I say that out loud,” I asked quietly, biting my lip when she nodded.

“I _really_ like you, Laura,” Carmilla murmured as she leaned in to kiss me. 

Her lips lightly brushed against mine, kissing me softly, with more tenderness and passion than I’ve ever felt before. It surprised me, but I didn’t let that stop me from kissing her back. She lifted a hand to cup my cheek, tracing a finger along my jaw down to the curve of my neck in a light caress. Her lips were so soft and supple as they moved against mine. I moaned softly when she deepened the kiss, her mouth slightly parted, as her tongue traced across my bottom lip. 

She hummed in response, shifting closer, as her fingers tangled in the hair at the nape on my neck. I pressed into her wanting more, my hands clutching at her shoulders, pulling her closer at the same time. Her tongue trailed over my lip again, this time with more persistence. Another moan escaped me, as my lips parted giving her entrance. Our tongues meeting, caressing, sliding against each other as we both fought for dominance. Carmilla whimpered, pressing harder against me, as I traced along her teeth before sliding inside to claim her, my tongue caressing as it stroked and teased, learning the nuances of every crevice of her mouth. 

I’m not sure if I leaned back, or if it was her pressing into me, but one moment I was sitting upright and the next I was laying horizontally, sinking into the cushions on the couch as she leaned over me. Taking full advantage of our position, she tilted her head a little more, her tongue sliding against mine as she took control, claiming me, just as I had claimed her moments before. Exploring my mouth with a passion that wasn’t driven by lust, or even desire, no, this was something far more profound. Every flick of her tongue and glide of her lips against mine was laced with something, I couldn’t put a name to, but it was better than anything I’ve ever felt before.

I was moaning loudly when we eventually came up for air, but I wasn’t the only one. Our chests were heaving, as we stared at each other trying to catch our breathe. The intensity in those espresso eyes, as she reached up to stroke my cheek, with a soft smile, nearly took my breath away all over again. There was so much emotion behind her gaze, and it said so much more than our passionate kisses ever could. And I knew the same things were being reflected back at her in my gaze too. 

“Cupcake,” was all she managed to say in between pants, but it was more than enough. 

“Carm,” I murmured, closing my eyes as she leaned down to kiss me again, despite us both still being breathless. It didn’t matter. Because I wanted her and she wanted me. 

We’ve been dancing around this for months, ever since we first saw each other on the front steps of the apartment complex. Most importantly I knew this wasn’t about sex, Carmilla wasn’t trying to get in my pants, she just wanted to be with me. And I couldn’t be happier. 

Neither of us heard the knock at the door, as our mouths moved together blissfully, tasting, teasing and caressing endlessly.


	2. She Stayed, Now I Have A Secret To Keep

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The same night...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all kudos Creampuffs
> 
> I know it's been a while, but here it is. 
> 
> I hope you like it.
> 
> Carmilla's PoV
> 
> Just a heads up if you haven’t read the first chapter in a while, you might want to do a re-read, because this picks up right where that left off.
> 
> Also I had a little help out on editing this chapter, she doesn’t want credit, but I believe in giving it when it’s do. So, here’s a little shout out to you.

Kissing her was better than I ever expected it would be. Her mouth was so warm and inviting, and she tasted so damn good to me, just like the cupcake I always proclaimed her to be. So sweet and delicious, I couldn’t get enough. And apparently neither could she. Moaning softly, Laura tangled her fingers in my hair and deepened the kiss, as her other hand came up to cup my cheek. Her tongue chased mine into the sanctuary of my mouth, licking inside to dance with mine, like a waltz from another time. 

I was more than content to let her have a moment of dominance, while my hand slid across her stomach, exploring the tone muscles I felt vibrating beneath the worn material of my phases of the moon t-shirt. This went way beyond any fantasy I’ve ever had of her, and I was in seventh heaven, simply from kissing her. Though the scent of lilacs and something else that was distinctly her, lingering in the air certainly didn’t hurt either. Then there was the uneven drumming of her heart that became even more erratic with every pass of my palm over her abdomen, and I couldn’t stop the smirk tugging at the corner of my mouth from turning into a full blown grin. 

“What are you smiling about,” Laura asked breathlessly, when she broke away to look at me, once the kiss went from passionate to sloppy. 

“Nothing,” I replied between gasps of air, trying to be nonchalant about it, even as I ducked my head to hide behind the curtain of my hair. 

“Oh come on,” she murmured brushing the hair out of my face and curling a finger under my chin, to encourage me to look at her again. “You can tell me anything, Carm.”

“I just really like kissing you is all,” I murmured, biting my lip with a bashful grin, when I finally met her gaze again. 

That wasn’t a lie, by any means, but it certainly wasn’t the whole truth either. It was just--I want this to work out so badly, and that meant that there were just some things I can’t tell her about me, at least not for the time being. 

“That’s a good thing, and certainly nothing to be embarrassed about,” she said softly, as she stroked my cheek, “because I really like kissing you too.” 

Embarrassment wasn’t really the issue, but it was easier to let her believe that than admit the truth, even if I know that trying to start a relationship based on a lie isn’t exactly a means to success. I want to give myself time to earn her trust first, before I reveal my deepest darkest secrets, because they just might ruin all of this before we can have a chance at more. 

“...actually, I more than _just_ like it,” she murmured, threading her fingers through my hair again, and drawing me back in for another kiss. 

Laura hummed happily against my mouth, sending reverberations coursing through my entire body, as I swallowed the sound and melted into the embrace, forgetting all about my worries. As she captured my bottom lip between her teeth and bit down to give it a gentle tug, before tracing it with her tongue to sooth away the sting and beg for entrance. Parting my lips eagerly, I let her tongue war with mine for control, matching every stroke and caress, until she relented and gave herself over to me willingly. Kissing her deeply, as she grabbed me by the collar and pulled me down on top of her with a moan that made all my senses go haywire. 

_‘Damn,’_ she was one hell of a kisser.

I was so high from simply kissing her, and the feeling of our mouths moving together, that I couldn’t stop myself from making things a little more intimate. Slipping my leg between hers to press my thigh firmly against her and feel the heat of her desire that has been driving me crazy ever since out lips first met, and the sweetness of her scent surrounded me. I was more nervous than I’ve ever been, afraid she would push me away. Or tell me I was moving too fast. But she didn’t. No, just like all of my other assumptions about her, she proved me wrong again. 

Letting out a sound that was somewhere between a whimper and a moan, she unwound her fingers from my hair and trailed them down my neck and over my chest, skimming along my rib cage in a caress that was slow, yet desperate. Pulling me harder against her when she reached my hip, she arched up into me and grabbed my ass to keep me firmly pressed against her. 

_‘Oh my--fuck,’_ was all I could think, and I barely managed to contain the primal growl building up inside of me.

We were still fully clothed, well, me more than her, considering all she was wearing was one of my old shirts and booty shorts. And still, she managed to get a response out of me that no other girl ever has before. The monster inside was urging me to rip her clothes off and take her right here and now, but I shoved that desire back into the furthest corner of my mind, and slammed the door. I knew, just because she was letting _this_ happen, didn’t mean she wanted it to be more.

No, she wasn’t that kind of girl, and that’s what attracted me to her in the first place. It might not seem that way with all the unabashed flirting and sexual innuendos I’ve tossed her way, but the truth was that I respect her so much for her resolve. All _that_ stuff was just my way of trying to get her to notice me. Which certainly didn’t work out the way I intended it to, but every time she shot me down, it just kept me coming back for more. Just to have a chance to talk to her, and hear the way her heart beat a little faster whenever she was near me. 

So, I don’t really want to rush this either, regardless of the response my nature stirs in me. She’s not just some girl, like all the others in the past. She’s Laura. The cute little Cupcake from across the hall that I’ve been crushing on for months, to the point where I think about her night and day, after years of not wanting anyone, at least not for anything more than sex. And, now that she’s finally giving me the time of day, I’m not going to screw this up. 

...

Our hands wondered, exploring each other through our clothes, but I never pushed the limits of what she was offering me. And that was the chance to be with her, in the most intimate of ways that went far beyond anything sexual I’ve ever experienced. Light touches and tender caresses, as fingertips glided over backs, thighs, stomachs, tracing the swell of full breast, while our mouths moved passionately against each other in a mesmerizing dance of give and take. The only time we broke apart was to catch our breath, and even then our mouths were never apart for more than a moment at a time.

At least that was until I heard a wild rumble fill the room that definitely didn’t come from me. Pulling back to look at her with an amused smirk, the new scent in the air thrilled me almost as much as her look of utter embarrassment as a blush crept up her cheeks. 

“Sounds like _somebody’s_ hungry,” I said breathlessly, trailing my fingers across her stomach. 

“Maybe a little bit,” she murmured between breaths, her face flushing again, when her stomach let out another loud growl. 

“Mmm hmm, and how long have you been ignoring it,” I rested my head in my palm, and gazed down at her attentively.

“Not long,” she replied, but I didn’t need to hear the falter in her heartbeat to know it was a lie. 

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Well, you kind of implied earlier, that you didn’t have much in the way of food, and I thought if I didn’t pay attention to it, the feeling would eventually go away,” she smiled sheepishly, “plus I really didn’t want to stop kissing you.”

“I _guess_ I can’t blame you for that...I am good with my mouth,” I drawled, smirking when she gave my shoulder a playful shove for the sarcasm. 

Dropping a quick kiss on her lips, I pushed myself up and climbed off of her.

“W--where are you going,” she asked sitting up and watching me, as I smoothed my shirt down from where it road up during our make out session.

“To see about feeding a hungry, Cupcake, obviously,” I replied, as I turned and headed to the kitchen. Adding a little extra sway to my hips, I shot a smirk over my shoulder at her, when she tried to swat my ass and missed. 

“I would wipe that smug look off my face, if I were you,” she said with a little chuckle. 

“Oh, yeah, and why’s that,” I said, exaggerating the movement of my hips even more, just to taunt her. 

“Because, I won’t miss next time,” she retorted with a smug smile, as she settled back on the couch, and watched me walk away. 

“I don’t know, Creampuff, that was some pretty bad aim you just displayed. I don’t think you would have hit me, even if I was standing still right in front of you.”

“I’ll have you know, I have great aim, thank you very much,” Laura said defensively. “I never once dropped the baton, when I ran track in high school.”

“They might have to take that record away from you, because you were definitely slow on the uptake a moment ago.”

There was something about the bunched up little face she always makes, when I tease her that gave me a thrill. Maybe it was the way her nose crinkled when she pouts, but it was just so damn cute, I couldn’t resist mocking her a little.

“It’s—it’s just been a while, and I’m a bit rusty, that’s all. But it won’t happen again, I can assure you of that.”

“ _Sure_ , whatever you say, Cutie,” I replied with a teasing wink. 

“I thought you were going to feed me,” she countered, biting her lip to hide a grin.

I felt a little tick in my chest, as the normally dull rhythm of my heart kicked up a few notches, just from the mere sight of it. 

“Oh, I am,” I said with a little a gasp of surprise at the feeling, “Don’t you know that patience is a virtue.”

“Not for me...there’s no such thing,” Laura said easily, letting her gaze slowly rove over my body, before meeting my eye again. “When I want something, I go after it wholeheartedly, as you’ll learn soon enough.”

“Believe me, Cutie, I’m looking forward to discovering _everything_ about you,” I rasped, with a flirtatious smirk, holding her gaze, until she let out chuckle and glanced away with a shy grin.

The blush tinting her cheeks was probably the cutest thing that I’ve ever seen, and I couldn’t contain the satisfied smile tugging at the corner of my mouth, as I turned to open the cabinet just inside the entrance to the kitchen. It took a few minutes of digging through bunches of loose paper and various odds and ends that were haphazardly strewn in cupboard collecting dust, before I found what I was looking for. 

I felt her watching me, as I practically dove into the cabinet to reach the stack of papers at the back of it, leaving my legs flailing in mid-air behind me. And all I could think of was how idiotic I must look to her right now. Then a melodic sound that was so sweet engulfed me and my ears perked up to catch every nuance of it. Even with half my body submerged in the dark abyss of my kitchen cabinet, I could tell she was trying to stifle her laughter. In the past the idea of someone laughing at me would have put me in a bad mood, but not this time. Instead, I felt the unfamiliar thrumming in my chest again, and I couldn’t stop smiling at the way she made me feel. 

Wiggling my way out of the tight space, I landed on my feet somewhat gracefully, but it lacked all the quality of my usual finesse. Of course, that garnered another amused chuckle from Laura. I scowled over at her trying to give off my best impression of being unaffected by it, but I couldn’t hide the delighted smile playing on my lips, even if I wanted too. That’s when the realization dawned on me that she likes me for who I am, and I didn’t have to put on a façade to make her smile. As I sauntered back over to the sofa and plopped down next to her, all I wanted was to hear her laugh again. 

“I may not have anything edible in my fridge, but I happen to have the next best thing,” I said with a grin, handing her the stack of takeout menus I was holding. 

Laura chuckled softly, as she took them from me and flipped through them. And I was elated that it had the desired effect. 

“What are you up for,” she asked, looking up at me with the sweetest smile I’ve ever seen. 

_“Anything,”_ I murmured, but I didn’t mean for it to come out as sensuously as it did. 

Shifting nervously, I watched her closely, listening for the slightest sign of discomfort, because my advances never went over well in the past. Not that was what it was, it just sounded that way, and I couldn’t do anything about that now. 

Laura tilted her head slightly and just looked at me for a few moments with an expression I couldn’t read, but I didn’t really have time to think about that, before she broke out into a huge grin and leaned in to kiss me. It started off soft and tender, but it didn’t take long before we both got into it. Her tongue flitted over my bottom lip, and I let out a moan as I parted them. Our tongues met and parted only to meet again, as she drew me closer and deepened the kiss.

“How does Thai, sound to you,” she panted when we finally broke apart. 

“Whatever you want, Cupcake,” I murmured breathlessly, simply staring at her in awe. 

I’ve been kissed more times than I could count, but no one has ever kissed me the way she does, with so much passion, feeling and desire, that has nothing to do with lust. And I was far too captivated by her to care about what I ate at this point. 

“Okay...in that case, I already know what I want,” she said, not breaking our gaze as she rested her hand on my thigh and gave it a gentle squeeze, with a smile that shimmered in her golden brown eyes, like it was made just for me. “Do you need more time to look at the menu before we order?”

I shook my head. 

“I--I’ll just have whatever you’re having,” I managed to get out, after a few moments. 

Picking up my cell phone from the end table before she could argue, I dialed the number from memory, barely listening while it rang. I was much too focused on the butterflies fluttering around in my stomach, brought on by the desire I had to hold her hand. And yes, I know it made no sense, when I’d just spent the better part of the last few hours making out with her, but I couldn’t help how nervous I felt. Any more than I could change the fact that I was completely smitten, when I knew it was crazy to be this attached to her in such a short time, but for the first time in my life, I didn’t care about being rational. 

Not when Laura was sitting right next to me, making me feel so much. Taking a deep breath, I reached out and covered her hand where it rested on my thigh. It wasn’t quite what I had in mind, but it was still better than nothing at all. Or so I thought, before she turned up her palm and laced our fingers together, stroking my knuckles with her thumb. Letting out the breath I was holding, with a sigh of contentment, I was sure it couldn’t get any better than this. But she proved me wrong, as she leaned into me and laid her head against my shoulder. All I could do was smile, because yeah, I was already so far gone for this girl. And I wouldn’t have changed it for anything in the world. 

It all felt so natural--which should have been odd to me, because I’ve never felt this way with anyone. But, she made me feel comfortable, without even trying. 

...

I don’t even remember ordering the food, or hanging up the phone, for that matter. The only thing that registered in my mind was the feeling of Laura wrapped in my arms. Cuddling with me while we lie on the couch, sharing nothing more than a peck on lips every now and then, because what we were experiencing transcended all of it. 

...

“Exactly how long has it been since you’ve eaten,” I asked quirking an eyebrow at her, when her stomach let out another insistent growl that echoed in my sensitive ears even after the sound faded. 

“I don’t know,” Laura shrugged, trailing her fingers up my arm, “my lunch break was around noon, though.”

“Do you realize how long it’s been, Cupcake,” I propped myself up to look down into her eyes with concern. 

“I don’t have my phone remember...and there’s no clock in here.” She replied, drawing me back down into her arms. 

I almost forgot what I was talking about when she threaded her fingers in my hair, placing a gentle kiss on my temple, as she began to massage my scalp. It was so damn relaxing that I nearly purred in response. And I probably would have found it ironic that she somehow knew how to play me like a fiddle already, if it weren’t for the lingering concerning resonating in my mind. 

“It’s like a quarter to nine, Laura.” The words slipped out before I could think about what I was saying. But, I didn’t have a chance to beat myself up over it. 

“Oops,” she giggled, gracing me with a beautiful smile. “Well, I’m going to blame you for that, since you’ve been taking up all my attention this whole time.”

 _“Seriously,”_ I said with a look of disbelief, but she was just so damn adorable, that I couldn’t hide the amusement behind it. 

“Mmm hmm,” she murmured with a wicked grin, as she guide me closer, “now you’ll just have to distract me again until the food gets here.”

Her lips brushed against mine enticingly with each word. And a girl could only have so much willpower, when she has a woman that’s sexy as hell teasing her, like she was doing to me, and I had reached the limit of mine. 

“I think I can handle that.” A smug smile tugged at the corner of my mouth, as I closed the remaining distance, kissing her softly. 

_‘For whatever reason, Laura didn’t catch my slip up, or maybe she thought I had a clock hidden somewhere around here that she hadn’t seen, but I was so grateful that I didn’t have to answer any questions, or explain the things I wasn’t ready to tell her about just yet.’_ But, that was something I didn’t want to think about right now, with her writhing in my arms, and I forced the thoughts from my mind, to focus all of my attention on her. 

“Carm,” she whimpered into my mouth.

“I know, Cupcake,” I whispered back. Holding her impossibly closer, as I lost myself in her warmth and tender caresses, kissing her with all I had in me. 

Our soft moans and breathless gasps filled the room, bouncing off the walls, and the weight of our connection settled in the air around us. Hot and heavy, electrified with emotions that went so much deeper than mere desire or passion, and the pleasure we found in each other. And I’ve never felt more alive, than right now. 

In simplicity at its purest form, our intimacy was nothing more than the gentle exploration of affectionate little caresses and interlaced fingers. But, we were setting a foundation for something that could maybe change everything for both of us. 

...

Laura didn’t register the knock at the door, but I heard it loud and clear. Even if I hadn’t, the fragrant smell coming from the other side was a dead giveaway. As much as I wanted to stay right where I was, wrapped around her, this time I didn’t disregard it like I had when Carl came by earlier.

And yes, I know I should have opened the door then, but ignoring him wasn’t _exactly_ intentional. Laura had chosen that moment to tangle her fingers in my hair and deepen our embrace with a moan that reverberated through my entire body, wiping out all sense of rationality. Simply put, I was too far gone to do anything other than kiss her back. That need dulled all my senses to the point that I barely even noticed the jingling of the keys dangling from his belt loop or the scent of the industrial cleaning supplies that I smelt permeating off him before he even reached the door.

Even now, pulling away from her was wasn’t easy by any means, but her needs superseded my own. 

“The foods here, Cutie,” I murmured breathlessly, gently disentangling myself from her arms. 

“T--that was quick,” she said with the same airy quality, smiling up at me like I was the most beautiful thing in the world. 

“Or maybe I’m just _that_ good at distracting you,” I said smugly, as I pulled my wallet out of my purse, and set it back where it was on the floor in front of the end table. 

“Stop being arrogant and go get the door,” she mumbled, poking me in the ribs, as color flooded her flushed cheeks.

“Are you always this bossy, or is it just the hunger talking,” I asked, dropping a light kiss on her lips, before getting up to answer the door, with a smirk tugging at my mouth. 

“I guess you’ll just have to find that out for yourself,” she retorted, swatting at my butt as I walked away.

But I darted out of reach and shot a smug grin at her, “missed again,” I teased, twitching my hips as I crossed the room. Her resounding giggle left me with the goofiest smile on my face. And yeah, as much as I enjoy kissing her, hearing her laugh was definitely my next favorite thing. 

There was a lack of my usual abruptness when I opened the door, but I just couldn’t curb my happiness. 

“How much do I owe you,” I asked, glancing over my shoulder, to see Laura peering at me over the back of the couch with a grin, her face still slightly flushed from making out. 

“Um--that’ll be 25.92,” the delivery boy replied, not quite meeting my eye, but I could tell he was surprised that I wasn’t scowling at him like I normally do, when I pulled a couple bills out and handed them to him mumbling, “Keep the change,” as I took the bag of food and watched him scurry down the hall before I could change my mind.

I was about to close the door, but stopped when I saw the note taped to it with Laura’s name scrawled across the front in Carl’s almost illegible writing. My face fell a little because it reminded me how selfish I’d been earlier, since I was pretty damn sure it was too late for her to get her keys now. With a muted sigh, I grabbed it and pushed the door closed with my foot. 

“I think I got some bad news for you, Cupcake,” I set the food on the coffee table and handed the note to her, flopping down beside her and watching her expression closely while she read it. Although I was more than certain that I already knew what it said, I hoped that I was wrong.

“Carl already went home for the night,” she folded the letter back up and set in on the table, “so I’ll have to wait until morning to get my keys from the office,” she said looking up at me, and confirming my suspicion.

“Fuck, I’m sorry, Cupcake,” I mumbled running my fingers through my hair, “I should have...”

“It’s not your fault, Carm,” she cut in with a reassuring smile and the hint of a blush on her cheeks, “I wasn’t listening out for him either.” 

Her reassurance did nothing to make me feel better, and this time I wasn’t nearly as bothered by the fact that I almost let the truth slip out, so much as the reality that, yes, this _was_ all my fault. I know none of this would have happened, if I’d just been honest with her from the start. Of course, that meant she probably wouldn’t be here with me right now, and we never would have connected like we did. But, that sounded better to me than the current situation, because I more than just like Laura. I genuinely care about her too. And I’ve been falling for her since the day we met, which is why I’d rather have her hate me, or at the very least not trust me or want to be around me, than have her be locked out of her apartment all night.

“Hey,” Laura said, snapping me out of my reverie. “Don’t go getting all broody on me.”

Before I could even wrap my mind around what she said, she wrapped her arms around me and kissed me softly, brushing her lips against mine over and over again, until I let all my inner turmoil slip away and melted into her with a moan. 

“ _That’s_ better,” she murmured, when she pulled away to lock eyes with me.

“I--I wasn’t being broody,” I stammered breathlessly, getting lost in the shimmering light of her gaze. 

“Yes, you were,” Laura said, gently smoothing away the last traces of the frown furrowing my brow with her thumb. 

“Maybe a little a bit,” I sighed with a huff, because it wasn’t easy admitting how right she was. 

“It’s not a big deal, Carmilla,” she said softly, taking my hand without breaking eye contact. “I can go stay at my dad’s for the night. It’s not that far of a walk from here...although the lecture I’m going to get from him for all this, and being out so late, is not something I’m looking forward to, any more than him trying to get me to move back home again, it’s worth it.” She nudged me with her shoulder, smiling brightly, “I wouldn’t change a thing about how this night turned out, you know that right?”

I just nodded at first, partly in awe of the meaning behind her words, and the fact that she could talk so much without taking a single breath. “Me neither,” I finally managed to whisper after a few moments.

We sat there for a while, simply holding hands and gazing into each other’s eyes with the hugest smiles. So much had been expressed in the last few minutes, and it didn’t make a difference that I’d barely said a thing, because it was as much about the words as the emotions behind them. What matters most is that we feel the same way about each other, and where we hope this will lead us to. 

It was the insistent rumbling of her stomach that drew us out of it, when it erupted in a growl louder than any time before, and we both burst out laughing as it echoed around the room. When we settled down, she grinned at me, biting her lip to try and curb her blush but I sensed it rising in her anyway. As much as the intoxicating heat I felt radiating off her affected me, and made me smile, it wasn’t the reason that I knew I would spend every moment we were together trying to make her blush. 

“Did your stomach literally just growl the words feed me,” I asked teasingly, as I released her hand to take the food out of the bag. 

“Shh,” she mumbled smacking me on the arm as she shushed me and took the container I handed to her, but all that did was make me grin, and in the end I got what I wanted anyway. And yeah, her blush is definitely the cutest thing I’ve ever seen. 

A smile tugged at the corners of my mouth as I watched her with rapt attention while she cracked the lid and licked her lips, at the aroma that came out with a burst of steam. 

“Stop smirking at me,” Laura said when she saw me watching her, “I haven’t eaten in like ten hours, and this smells really good.” 

“I can’t help it, that everything about you is adorable, Cupcake.” 

She leaned in and gave me a quick kiss on the cheek, before looking away with a grin that had a touch of shyness behind it. That made me think she wasn’t use to getting compliments, or maybe it was that it was coming from me without there being any sexual undertones to accompany it. I didn’t know which one was more accurate, but I hoped it was the latter, because she deserves to hear how amazing she is every day, and I intend to make up for all the months I acted like an idiot, plus it was nice to think that I could surprise her with how sweet and romantic I can be, at least in my own way. 

“Did they give us any forks,” Laura asked licking her lips again. 

“Nope, just chopsticks,” I replied holding some out to her. 

“Crap,” she exclaimed, “I hate those things, they never work for me.”

Laura separated them and tried to adjust them between her fingers, before picking up a heap of noodles, but they crossed as she brought it to her mouth and everything fell back into the container with a plop, except for a tiny bit of chicken that she managed to skewer in the process. She stuck in her mouth, and tried again, with much the same result. 

Letting out a flustered sigh, she glanced at me, “Do you have a fork I could use to make this easier,” she said hopefully.

“I do...but they’re all dirty,” I mumbled sheepishly, “I can clean one for you though.”

I was about to get up and head to the kitchen, but she put a hand on my arm to stop me, “No that’s okay. I don’t want your food to get cold. I’ll just make do with this.” She said, not releasing her grasp on me until she was sure I wasn’t going anywhere. 

“Let me help me you, Cutie,” I said, trying to hide a smile, after she made a few more failed attempts. 

Setting down my container, that was already more than half-way gone, I showed her how to hold them properly, and helped her guide the chopsticks to her mouth without incident, smiling when she let out a squeal of excitement. It took several more tries but she eventually got the hang of it, and we ate the rest of our meal in comfortable silence, occasionally glancing at each other with goofy grins. 

...

I was glad that Laura didn’t leave right after dinner, but it was almost eleven now, and I knew she was thinking about it. She’d turned me down every time I offered to walk her to her dad’s while we were eating, so I let the subject drop, because I really didn’t want her to go anywhere at all. 

Worrying my lip, I glanced down at her lying next to me with her back pressed against my chest, while she mindlessly played with the fingers of the I arm I had wrapped around her waist. For the moment she was all caught up in the corny sitcom that I convinced her to watch with me just to give myself time to think, but it was going off any minute now. And I still didn’t know how to express what was on my mind, without coming across like a creep. 

It certainly didn’t help matters that it’s been a long time since I’ve done this, which was daunting enough as it was, but to top it off, I wasn’t exactly good at it back then to begin with. And yeah, I was probably overthinking things and psyching myself out because of it, but the fact that I’ve never been subtle about wanting her was making it hard to get past that. I just didn’t want to say the wrong thing and make her think that I’d been running game on her all night.

The credits started to roll, and Laura sat up giving me a smile, before she said, “it’s getting late, I better head out now, or I’ll never hear the end of it.” 

Shooting up to sit next to her, I blurted out, “you can sleep with me.” 

_‘Holy shit, that’s definitely not what I meant to say,’_ was all I could think, as I looked down at my feet when she arched her eyebrows at me. 

Blushing wasn’t something that happened to me very often, but I felt the heat of the slightest flush suffuse my cheeks, making them feel like they were on fire, compared to the temperature of the rest of my body, which was barely warmer than the air around me. And I had the air conditioner on, because it had been humid lately, not that I ever put the thermostat higher than sixty-five degrees, even in the middle of winter, when it was well below zero outside.

“I just--I mean stay _here_ with me...not _‘with me’_ with me,” I stammered when I forced myself to meet her gaze again. 

“I know what you meant,” she chuckled, grinning brightly at me as she leaned in to kiss my fiery cheek.

I simply nodded in response, because I was sure I would have ended up making even more of a fool out of myself, if I tried to speak. 

Feeling like this was all so foreign to me, I’ve always been calm, cool, collected and nothing less than confident around girls, but maybe that was the difference. I never really cared about them enough to put myself out there, but tonight with Laura, I was doing the exact opposite. And the irony of how much things changed between us, when I stopped trying so hard to get her to notice me, and let go of the façade didn’t escape me. I’d be lying if I pretended that it didn’t scare me, but the profound effect she has on me out weighs all of that, because I really like the way it makes me feel. 

“You can take the bed and I’ll sleep on the couch,” I finally managed to get out after a lengthy silence.

“Don’t be silly, we’re both adults. It’s not like we can’t share a bed without something else happening.” She took my hand and pulled me up off the couch, leading the way to my bedroom without a second thought. 

Surprise didn’t quite cover what I felt, as I followed behind her without a word. Not that I was nervous or anything like that, well okay, maybe I was a little bit on edge, but it wasn’t for the obvious reason. Sleeping with her and nothing more wasn’t going to be a problem for me. After all we spent a good part of the evening making out, and other than my initial urge, the thought of sex never crossed my mind. I’d been perfectly fine with the way things were, even when all we did was cuddle. 

The thing that had me suspended somewhere between being speechless and amazed, and wanting to waltz with her all the way to my room, was how much trust she was putting in me, after only one night of seeing that there’s more to me than I let on. So yeah, in that sense I have every reason to be a little nervous. 

Laura stopped us just inside the doorway of the dimly lit room, and turned to look at me, “You really like black, don’t you,” she said with a grin. 

“Yeah, I guess, “I shrugged with the tiniest hint of a smile, because no one’s ever cared enough to ask me that before, “it’s my favorite color, and it fits my personality.” 

“I’ll only agree to the first part of that,” she said, giving me a quick kiss, before going further inside to take it all in. 

I stayed in the doorway with an amused smile, watching her move about the room. Stopping to run her hands over the dark drapes covering the windows, and brush the silky material against her cheek, but she let the material slip between her fingers as something else caught her eye and she scurried over to look at it. I’ve never been a fan of ping pong, and I don’t consider it a sport, but that’s what it looked like as she bounced back and forth, trying to look at every nook and cranny all at once. 

She was inspecting the items on my dresser when I walked up behind her, “You can look in the drawers too, if you want,” I said teasingly, as I slipped my arms around her waist. 

“Sorry,” she said with a blush, setting down the studded bracelet she was holding, “I just got really excited, and I wanted to find out more about you.”

“Oh, trust me, I’m not complaining, Cupcake.” I murmured kissing her neck, “I think it’s kind of cute.”

Even though her cheeks were still tinged with color, that didn’t stop her from turning around in my arms and kissing me long and hard, effectively taking my breath away once again. _‘Maybe she isn’t so bad with compliments after all,’_ I thought, as she pulled back and looked into my eyes, with an absence of the shyness I noticed earlier.

“Do you want something to change into,” I asked after taking a few moments to catch my breath. 

“No, I’m alright with this,” she said, glancing down at the shirt she had on and back up at me, but I couldn’t tell if she really meant it, or if she thought it would make things easier for me.

“Are you sure, because I have plenty of clothes, so you don’t have to be shy about it,” I said, releasing her to pull a tank top and a pair of dark gray sweats out of the dresser for me to wear. 

“Yep, this is pretty much what I sleep in anyway...but thank you for offering,” she replied, lifting her hand to cup my cheek, as she brushed our lips together in a fleeting kiss. 

“No problem,” I murmured as my eyes fluttered open, “make yourself comfortable, Cutie, I’m just going to go to the bathroom and change, then I’ll be right back.”

“Okay, I will,” she said going to sit on the bed, as I made my way to the bathroom across the hall, but I couldn’t resist taking one last look at her before I left the room. 

Flicking on the light, I made sure to lock the door behind me just in case. It only took a matter of seconds for me to strip down and hop into my other clothes, but that wasn’t why I need to ensure my privacy. I have this thing about brushing my teeth before I go to bed, maybe it’s just years of habit, or maybe it’s one of the most basic rituals of being human that I just can’t seem to let go of. Spreading a line of toothpaste on my toothbrush, I opened my mouth watching as my fangs slowly protrude from my gums. 

I used to think that I’d come to terms with what I’d been forced to become, but right now I hated the monster staring back at me so damn much. Because, it was the thing that could ruin all of this, and take away my chance at happiness, which was something that I hadn’t even thought I’d ever have a possibility of before tonight. But, Laura changed everything. And made me want the kind of normalcy that I’d given up on centuries ago. Of course, it _shouldn’t_ matter that I’m a vampire, our existence isn’t exactly hidden from society anymore, but in the end, it always makes a difference. 

Because, as willing as humans are to work among us, and incorporate us into their social order most of them can’t accept being our source of food too. Not that I blame them. There was a time when my kind use to hunt them for the sport and the thrill of the kill, and not just food, even though it wasn’t necessary, and some vampires still do, refusing to give up the archaic tradition out of a need to instill fear in humanity and assert their superiority as a race. And it shames me that most of them are a part of my family, at least in the sense that they were turned by the same ancient vampire as I was. 

After nearly two centuries of forced servitude, I earned my freedom from Maman and her vampire cult, but it came at a steep price I never knew I was going to have to pay. So, I ran as fast and far as I could, and haven’t looked back, but it doesn’t change the things I was forced to do, or what she made me into. Some days I can almost convince myself that I’m more or less normal, but then I feed and it wipes it all away, or I run into a sibling that suffered much the same fate as I did, and the memories come flooding back. 

Letting out a heavy sigh, I spit the toothpaste out and rinsed my mouth, watching as my fangs receded. I took several deep breaths to force the thoughts from my mind, because I couldn’t go back to Laura with that darkness in my head. Not that I would ever hurt her, I’m too old to lose control like that, I just didn’t want a sour mood to spoil any of my time with her. She’s the best thing that’s happened to me in over three hundred years, and I’m not going to waist a moment dwelling on the things I cannot change, when I can spend my time being happy and building something with that little ball of sunshine. 

Laura was already beneath the covers, when I returned to the bedroom, but she was the furthest thing from being asleep. Instead she was watching the door for me, and I was greeted with the most brilliant smile when I entered the room. 

“Hey,” she murmured, as I slipped in bed beside her. 

“Hey, yourself, Cutie,” I replied turning on my side to face her. 

“You were gone for a long time, and I was starting to get worried.”

“Sorry,” I said reaching out to take her hand, “I have a thing about brushing my teeth before bed, that’s all.” 

“Yeah, I noticed the minty fresh scent,” she bit her bottom lip, worrying it between her teeth for a moment, “I hope you don’t mind that I didn’t.”

“No, it’s just a quirk of mine, that’s all.”

“Okay, that’s good then,” she said with a grin that made her golden eyes shimmer.

“What are you doing,” I moaned, when she snuggled up next to me and started placing feather light kisses along my neck. 

“I said we weren’t having sex,” she said with a giggle, breaking away to lock eyes with me, “but, that doesn’t mean we can’t make out.”

“I see...and should I take that to mean you’re coming on to me Cupcake,” I murmured smirking up at her, “because that sure sounds like game to me.”

“You should, and I am,” Laura replied confidently, despite the how hard she was blushing at my playful teasing. “Do you have a problem with that?”

“Not at all.” I drew her closer and kissed her long and hard, taking her breath away, right along with mine.

 _‘Holy shit,’_ I moaned, when she straddled me and deepened the kiss even more, taking more than my breath, when she took control my heart went along with it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you have any questions, suggestions or comments about the fic, hit me up at fadedtobluesuniverse.tumblr.com. I’ll do my best to answer anything you ask.


End file.
